TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

If you enjoyed the story of The Da Vinci Code, why not view Paris through the eyes of Robert Langdon?

There are many Da Vinci Code tours available, from guided tours to self-guided tours. Choose the one that best suits your style and pace.

Guided tours cost anywhere from 10 - 20 euros and typically last around 2 hours. You get the benefit of an experienced and knowledgeable guide who can show you around, allowing you to get lost in the story.

If you go on a self-guided tour, you can print out information and directions from the Internet, or buy a Da Vinci Code tour guide book. You get the luxury of going at your own pace and soaking in the scenery, but you will also have to navigate the city on your own.

If you've got a huge budget, you can splurge on a 5-night stay at Sir Leigh Teabing's Château Villette, for a mere $4500. That cost does include Da Vinci Code perks, like lunch at Hotel Ritz and a trip to the Louvre.

Whatever you choose, for fans of the book, taking a Da Vinci Code tour is a great way to see Paris through new eyes.

The most renowned museum in the world is located within the “city of lights.” Paris’ Louvre is a highly popular attraction. If one happens to be in the city, visiting the Louvre is almost a requirement. To see the most of it, and to enjoy it as well, simply follow the tips below.

If you are in France on a Wednesday or Friday, visit the museum after 6 p.m. The cost of entering the museum is reduced by €3, from €9 to €6. On Wednesday and Friday, the museum is open until 9:45 p.m., which gives you plenty of time to wander around. As part of Bastille Day celebration, admission to the museum is free. It is also free on the first Sunday of every month.

Buy your tickets in advance to avoid long waits in line. Another way to avoid a wait in line is to go during the off-season. If you visit France in the non-peak season, you will not only get shorter waits, you will also enjoy cheaper prices for lodging, attractions, and more.

The Louvre is massive. It could weeks to see everything they possess. In order to cut down the confusion, choose the pieces you wish to see and check in advance which galleries you will need to visit. Make a list of pieces and locations and you will save time and see what you want. Visiting the Louvre’s website is one way to do so.

Well, an 8 hour layover definitely gives you enough time to get out and see the city a bit. The amount of time that you actually have will depend on how long it takes you to disembark from the plane and get through passport control. You will also need to be keenly aware of what time you need to be back at the airport in order to allow enough time for check-in and security for your next flight. So, you’ll probably really only have about 3-4 hours max for checking out Paris.

Are you flying in to Charles de Gaulle? To get into Paris, you’ll have to either take the bus, taxi, or train. The train is probably your best bet. They run every 15 minutes and it takes 35 minutes to get to Paris. (So factor that in to how much time you have…) You’ll need some euros, so get those from an ATM. You can easily reach the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. You might also want to enjoy a French meal, since you’ll just be hopping back on a plane and be stuck with airplane food.

Above all, relax and enjoy your few hours in Paris. Don’t push yourself to see and do too much, and keep your eye on the clock!

When you are traveling to a foreign country, familiarize yourself beforehand about that country's customs.

For instance, if you are traveling to France, you may be shocked to learn upon arrival that most restaurants and businesses close in the middle of the afternoon. Each establishment is different, and they will close anywhere from 12:30pm - 4pm.

This means that if you arrive anywhere in France during these hours, and you are starving, you may not find an open restaurant in sight. Your best bet would be to find an "American" fast food restaurant, which are more likely to remain open all throughout the day - or to bring your own snacks. Another alternative would be to find a grocery store that is open and buy something to eat there.

In the bigger cities, you'll have more opportunities to find businesses that stay open through the afternoon siesta. However, in smaller cities and tiny villages, you'd better be prepared!

It's strange to think that restaurants will close in the middle of the afternoon - prime lunch hours, good profit potential - but hey, that's the French way!

Calais is a historic city; inhabitants lived here during prehistoric times. When one visits the ancient city, one should be aware of certain finer points. Following the tips listed below will add to the enjoyment of your experience.

1) Public toilets called Sanisettes are available throughout the area. Be aware that the door opens after fifteen minutes. You don’t want to get caught with your pants down!

2) The driving in Calais is said to be terrible. Watch out.

3) You can ferry on over to Dover for a day of English fun. Museums, gardens, and parks are available at your leisure.

One of the easiest ways to get from the UK to France is to take the Eurostar. You can get on at either London or Ashford, and zip on over to Calais, Lille, or Paris. In my opinion, this is the most hassle-free method of getting from the UK to France. If you fly, you’ll have to go through airport security and then passport control once you land in France. It’s much more of a hassle, and as a result, it can take longer than if you take the train (London to Paris via Eurostar is just over 2 hours, for example).

If you want to take a car with you to France, you can take a ferry or the Eurotunnel. The Eurotunnel goes from Folkstone to Calais. It only takes 35 minutes. If you plan to bring a pet with you from the UK to France, this is a good way to do it. If you want to take a ferry from the UK to France, you have a few more options in terms of departure location and arrival location. You can choose to be a foot passenger or bring your car.

The best route for you really depends on where you will be leaving the UK, where you want to go in France, and whether you will be bringing a car or not.

When you travel to France, there are some major places you have to visit. One of them is the most opulent former residence in the entire world. Versailles Palace once served as the home of the French king. It is also a place of history. Revolutionary French peasants overtook the Palace during the reign of Louis XVI and forced his family to move to Tulieries Palace in Paris. Later, the king and queen were executed. The city of Versailles is now a suburb of Paris, which is located about 15 miles outside of the “city of lights.”

It is literally impossible to see everything at the Palace in one day. Planning ahead can make the most of your vacation. I recommend that if you have the time, stay overnight and devote two days to the palace. The Palace is not open on Mondays, so keep that in mind when planning your trip. If you are coming in from Paris, the best way to get to the chateau is to take a train.

Visit when the weather is good. The gardens are magnificent, so don’t miss them on account of rain. The palace is known to be busier on Tuesdays. The reason is that the famous Louvre Museum is closed that day. Another great tip is to invest in a Paris Museum pass if you will be in town for a little while and plan on making the most of your vacation.

You can actually buy Louvre tickets in advance online, and save yourself the hassle of waiting in line to buy them. This is far more convenient. If you buy them online, you’ll need to wait around 10 days for them to be mailed to you (unless you pay extra for rush delivery). I think buying Louvre tickets online is the best option for avoiding long lines.

If for some reason you can’t buy them online in advance, there are a few tricks for avoiding the long queues. If you enter the museum from the Rue de Rivoli entrance, take the escalator down and look for ticket machines. You can buy your Louvre tickets here and there is usually not a wait. You can also try going in through the Metro near the main Pyramid.

In any case, if you arrive early (before they open at 9), you can often beat the long lines at the main entrances.

Will you be in France over July 14? That’s Bastille Day, which is like the French Independence Day. You might be surprised at some of the cool celebrations that happen in small French towns for Bastille Day. For instance, I once stayed near St. Ambroix, a small town in southern France, for a few days in July while passing through on my way to Montpellier. For 2 days over Bastille Day, they had a Renaissance Festival. It was so cool experiencing a Ren Faire in an actual medieval French town!! For a small town, they sure knew how to throw a party. People were dressed up in costumes and there were all kinds of stalls and performers. It was great. That night in the neighboring village, (even smaller than St. Ambroix) they had a fireworks display, followed by a town party that included a soiree mousse – which is like a giant foam party where a bubble machine blows bubbles onto the dance floor. So awesome. Kind of like a rave, but on a totally chilled out small town scale with kids and families running around. It was a very authentic small-town French experience, imo. I’m sure that lots of other small towns do equally cool things, but if you’re anywhere near St. Ambroix – that’s one party to check out!